The Haarlem entrepreneur Aydin Kahraman wants to build a food hall on the Floridaplein near the Schalkwijk shopping center. He has been walking around with that plan for fifteen years, but he says he is experiencing a lot of opposition from the municipality. Councilors asked critical questions to responsible alderman Floor Roduner on Thursday evening, but they did not become much wiser.
Entrepreneur Kahraman himself was also present at the development committee. He explained to the council members that he does not understand why the municipality is making the construction of the food hall so complicated. “The city council supports the plan, enthusiastic reactions are coming from the neighbourhood. We always try to adapt to the wishes of the municipality, but the bill is always placed with us. This cannot be sustained like this.”
Purple crocodile
Councilor Moussa Aynan van Jouw Haarlem reacted strongly. “We should really be ashamed of ourselves as a municipality. This is how you destroy a talented entrepreneur. This is the ‘purple crocodile’ at its best. Let’s settle this quickly and let Mr. Kahraman go home with hope.”
Several political parties came up with the proposal to call in an independent mediator to get the whole process started quickly.
According to the entrepreneur, there are three problems: the construction of underground rubbish containers, the installation of a transformer house and the repeated rejection of the design for the food hall by the aesthetics committee.
“I don’t have to sit in on those conversations, there’s no point in that”
According to Alderman Roduner, these are three issues that should actually be resolved by Kahraman’s Marketplace company itself. “The municipality thinks it is important that the food hall is built. We are already meeting him with the promise that we will arrange those containers. That is all I can really do.”
Smooth out points
Still, according to the alderman, there is a glimmer of hope: “The way forward is for Marketplace to submit a final design, then we can grant the permit. I suggest that my officials sit down with the entrepreneur again to smooth out the last points. not sitting in those conversations, that makes no sense.”
“I’ve been busy for years and don’t get fifteen minutes to work it out together. Too bad.”
Aydin Kahraman says in a response that he regrets that the alderman does not want to talk to him. “I think it’s a pity that as an entrepreneur you’ve been working for fifteen years and you can’t get fifteen minutes to work it out together. But I have experienced that the city council is behind the food hall. I’ll keep doing my best. To work with Ramses Shaffy: ‘We will continue’.”
Alderman Roduner promised to keep the council committee informed of progress.